Nothing wrong with EVM when Opposition wins, only when they lose: Centre

Launching a veiled attack on the Opposition, the Centre on Saturday asserted that questioning the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) simply meant questioning the Election Commission of India.

"Opposition leaders find an excuse for their defeat. In 2004 and 2009, when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won, there was no issue with EVM. When Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) won in Uttar Pradesh, there was no issue with EVM. When Akali- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition lost in Punjab and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won in Delhi, there was no issue with EVM. Questioning EVMs means questioning the Election Commission of India," Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said while addressing a press conference during BJP executive meeting here.

Earlier in the day, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said he had heard that voters had pressed the Samajwadi Party symbol on the EVM, but the votes went into the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) basket.

Akhilesh further demanded that polls be conducted with the help of ballot papers.

Meanwhile, BSP supremo Mayawati has said that she is ready to join hands with other political parties to take on the BJP on the issue of EVMs tampering.

Mayawati had raised the issue of EVM tampering after the results of the recent assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand went in the favor of the BJP.

Irked by the charges, the Election Commission (EC) challenged skeptics to prove that EVMs can be tampered with.